Combination article



Dec. 31, 1940. M. D'ONoFRlo COMBINATION ARTICLE Filed Nov. 7, 1939 sesam Patented Dec. 3l, 1940 im'rsN'rA ol-Ficia 4 y coMsrNsricN sanear.

Marlo DOnofrlo, Baltimore, Md; Application November '1, 1939, Serial No. 303,335

vi'zcniim. (onza-4)' 't 'This invention relatesto improvements in combination articlesfor pocket use. and with regard toits more specific aspects toa combined bill clip, key sheath and key.

5 Among che* jects ofthe present invention" may be notedthe provision of a novel .combination article .for pocket and/or personal use which possesses a high degree of utility. which is attractive and neat in appearance, and which is of a 10,` size as to be readily carriedin ones pocket; the provision of a combined bill clip and key device the above characteristics and which is particularly adapted for masculine use; the provisionof a bill clip providing a carrier for a key; 1|` the provision of a bill clip of which one of the jaws thereof carries or otherwise provides a sheath or housing adapted to removably support akey or a blsnkfrom which the finished key may be cut; and the provision of a combination ar- 220 ticle in the nature of a bill clip` providing a key sheath, with a key organized therewith in ornamental and practical manner.

Other objects will bein part obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out in connection with the following analysis ofthis inventionwhereln' is illustrated an embodiment yof theinvention in detail. t r f f `In the drawing--` f i u Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a combination article in accordance with the`= present invention;

`llig.'2 is a perspective view ofthe combination article shown inFig. l; and

Fig. 3 is a section along lineal-3 of Fig. 1` In the drawing, wherein like reference charss acters designate like'fparts throughout the several l views. the reference character Il designatesl the rear jawfand reference character il the front Jaw` of a bill clip,`the jaws being joined along their relatively top edges as by a connecting web i2. As-shown, the rear Jaw Il may be formed or '-shapdfsla rectangular frame, `and the `front Jaw Ii'is ngue-shaped and of a length such that its lower end. which may becurved and beaded forwardly as at l I, extends over the lower `as aforesaid for` the qualityftrade, although `for the novelty and cheaper trade plated metal stock or stock of the baser metals may be employed.

`(larrled by the tongue-shaped front Jaw on its front` face isa key sheath or housing 10. As shown, the sheath is open at both its ends and 5 may be comprised by a U-shaped stamping, preferably of the same metal stock as the clip proper. to provide jside pieces 20a and a cross or bridging piece 20h. Preferably, the side pieces are secured along their free or relatively lower 10 edges as by welding to the jaw I l, whereby the jaw forms one sideof a rectangular enclosure. r

y The relatively upper edge of the sheath may be formed thick as by providing therealong a beading 2l. While the beading 2| adds to the orna- 15 mental appearance of'thesheath. it also serves a, reinforcing function. Preferably, the bead 2l may curve upwardly, thus to provide an arcuatelip for the purpose to behereinafter stated.

Theside pieces Zllaof the sheath 20 may be 20 extended upwardly of the bead 2l to form exten. sionV side pieces 22 which connect with a transverse guide piece 23 Vwhich extends between the sidepleces Hand whlchis spaced from the front face` ofthe jaw. piece il substantially the thick- 2li ness `of a key blank. Intermediate its ends the guide piece 23 is provided with a rearwardly extending and V-shaped tang 24 adapted to engage in the longitudinal groove with which a key or key blank is conventionally provided. 80-

'Ihe upper` edges of the side pieces 22 are spaced'a predetermined vertical distance from the lower open end of the sheath 20, this spacing being somewhat less than the length of the shank of a key adapted to be inserted in the l5 sheath 20, whereby the tip of the `key shank positioned in the sheath may extend a small distance below the sheath, in the manner clearly indicatedv in Fig. 1. c

`In merchandising the combination article of 40 the present invention, the article as sold to the trade will comprise the bill clip generally as described and whichqcarries the key or key blank sheath 2l. Additionally, 'the purchaser will be provided with a key blank of special construction, to be described, the shank of which is housed in the sheath 20. It is intended that the purchaser will have thekey blank cut or otherwise shaped toV duplicate a key already ln his possession, whereby the key carried by the bill clip provides a spare or extra key for such use as the purchaser may desire to make of it. Thus, if the purchaser has the key blank cut to. duplicate the ignition key of his automobile. for example, and such duplicate key i., carried in the bill clip ll containing his money, which he is most unlikely to forget or misplace, the spare key is hence available at all times even though the original key may have been lost or misplaced.

To this end, the clip-carried sheath 20 is provided for the purpose of housing a key blank, of tile character generally indicated in the drawing, and which is comprised by a shank or blade 21 and a head 28. Preferably, the head 2B has a hinged connection with the shank 21 by means of a pintle and ear-type hinge 29. Thus the head 28 may in its normal operating position be swung to a position in which it extends substantially in the plane of the shank 2'l.` When inserted in the sheath, however, the head 28 may be folded over the shank 21, thus to reduce the overall length of the key. The shank 21 is preferably of the character having on one face a 1ongitudinal fluting or groove 30 into which, as the key shank is moved into the sheath 20, the tang 24 of the guide bar 23 is adaptedto engage.

In inserting the key blank into the sheath, the shank 21 thereof is inserted between the side pieces 22 and beneath the guide bar 23 which project upwardly from the sheath. As the key shank is projected downwardly into the sheath, it is guided in such movement by the side pieces, the guide bar and also the tang 24 which, as above stated, engages in the key shank fluting 30. Ihe 'key shank is moved downwardly inw the sheath 20 until its abutment stops 3| engage the upper edges of the side pieces 22 which serve to limit further insertion of the key into the sheath 20. With the spacing between the top edges of the side pieces 22 and the lower end ofthe sheath 20 being somewhat less than the length of the key shank, the ti-p thereof protrudes a slight distance beyond the sheath 20, as indicated in Fig. 1.

With the key shank so housed within the sheath 20, the key head 28 is swung to a position in which it overlies the shank 21. The depth of the key head is such that when the head is so swung, its then lower edge may engage and spring-past the lip-shaped bead 2| of the sheath, thereby to latch the key blank to the sheath and hence to the clip proper. It will be understood that dimensioning of the sheath 20 and the spacing between side pieces 22, as well as the spacing between the guide bar 23 and the front face of the clip jaw is such that the key shank is held snuglyin its position as aforesaid, suitable clearance being provided, however, so that the key may be readily projected into and removed from its sheath.

As will be further seen from Fig. l, the key head is.provided with an opening 32 whereby, when the head is swung to its latching position with reference to the sheath bead 2 I it may clear the guide bar 23. It will be here noted that the height of the side pieces 22 is reduced so that the key head may be moved into latching posi tion beneath the bead 2|.

By the above arrangement the key blank may be removed from its sheath 20 by the simple operation of grasping the bill clip in the palm of,

the hand and by icking the thumb nail up wardly against 'the protruding tip -`of the key shank. This slight pressure is suiiicient to unlatch the key head from the sheath bead 2|, whereupon the key head 28 may be swung to its normal position and the key bodily withdrawn from the sheath 20.

While in the foregoing the bill clip has been described to comprise a rear jaw of rectangular configuration and a tongue-shaped front jaw,

it will be undertsood that jaws otherwise shaped may be employed, so long as the jaws possess such shape and size as to engage a substantial area of the bill gripped thereby. It is also within the contemplation of the present invention that the sheath 20 and its related guide parts 22, 23 may be formed integrally with the frontl jaw as by stamping such parts from the metal forming the front jaw. Y

Accordingly, ,asVV many changes could be made in carrying out the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, itis intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Iyolaim: y i c,

1. A key sheath for mounting on one oi the jaws of a bill clip comprising an enclosing structure adapted to be secured against lthe relatively outer face of said one jaw, said structure including spaced side pieces and a bridging facej which form with the jawpiece a housing adapted to receive the shank of a'key, and means operatively related to the side pieces for guiding a key shank into said housing and for frictionally securing the shank in substantially housed position therein. f

2. A key sheath for mounting on one of the jaws of a bill clip comprising an enclosing strucf ture adapted to be secured against the relatively outer face of saidy one jaw, said structurein-gv cluding spaced side pieces and a bridging piece which form with the jaw face a housing adapted to receive the shank oi a key, said side pieces being extended beyond thebridging piece and carrying a transversely extending piece operative to guide a key shank into the housing and to i'rictionally secure the shank in substantially housed position therein.

3. A key sheath for mounting on one of the ,iaws of a bill clip comprising an enclosing structure adapted to be secured against'the relatively outer face of said one jaw, said structure including spaced side pieces and a bridging piece which form with-the jaw face an open-,ended housing adapted to receive the shank of a key and which is of lesser depth thanthe key shank, said side pieces carrying a transversely extending guide piece disposed `relatively `above the upper edge of the bridging piece for guiding the shank of a key into said housing.

4. In a key and key-sheath assembly, the combination of a key having a shank and a head pivotally related thereto, the sheath providing a housingior the key shank and including means for guiding the shank into the housing, the key and sheath being so constructed and arranged that upon pivoting of the head to a position overlying the shank of a key received in said housing the key head engages the upper edge of the housing and thereby frictionallysecures the key in substantially housed position within the housing.

5. In a key sheath and bill clip assembly, the combination of a bill clip constituted by spaced jaw members, and a key sheath comprising an enclosing structure secured against the relatively outer face of oneV of-'said `jaw members. said structure including spaced side pieces andra bridging piece which form with the jaw face a housing adapted 'to receive the shank of a key.

and means operatively relatedto the side Pieces' f for guiding a key shank into said housing and for frictionally securing the shank in substantially housed position therein.

6. In a key sheath and bill clip assembly, the combination of a bill clip constituted by spaced jaw members, and a key sheath comprising an enclosing structure secured against the relatively outer face on one of said jaw members, said `structure including spaced side pieces and a bridging piece which form with the jaw face a housing adapted to receive the shank of a key, said side pieces being extended beyond the bridging piece and carrying a transversely extending piece operative to guide` a key shank into the housing and to frictionally secure the shank in substantially housed position therein.

7. In a key, key sheath and bill clip assembly,

the combination of a bill clip constituted by spaced jaw members, a sheath comprising an enclosing structure adapted to be secured against the relatively outer face of one of said jaw members, and a key having a shank and a head pivotally related thereto, the sheath providing a housing for the key shank and including means .for guiding the shank thereinto, the key and sheath being so constructed and arranged that upon pivoting of the key head to a position overlying the shank of a key Within said housing the key head engages the upper edge of the housing and thereby frictionally secures the key to the housing.

MARIO DONOFRIO. 

